Suryakumar Yadav played a magnificent innings on Sunday which once again highlighted why he is the number-one ranked T20I batter in the world. He laced 11 boundaries and seven maximums in his unbeaten 51-ball knock of 111 runs as India finished with 191 for six in the second T20I match of the three-match series against New Zealand at the Bay Oval on Sunday. After the knock, his teammate Rishabh Pant had the perfect four-word praise for the India batter after he gatecrashed Suryakumar's mid-innings interview with the broadcasters. (India vs New Zealand Live Score 2nd T20)
The top-three struggled for India in the New Zealand conditions after India were put to bat first on Sunday. Pant managed to score just six runs in 15 balls. But Suryakumar batted as if he was on a different surface. He played the sweep shots against spinners, executed the lofted drives, inside-out shots over extra cover and the ramp shot over fine-leg - leaving no place in the ground where he did not score.
After the knock, Suryakumar was invited by the broadcasters, Prime Video, to talk about his innings where he said, “In T20, a hundred is always special but at the same time, it was really important for me to bat till the very end. Hardik was telling me to bat till the 18th or 19th over, and get to a score of 185 or so. After the end of the 16th over, we had a chat about taking it deep. It was important to maximise the last few overs. Have been doing the same things over and over again, in the nets and it's just coming off for me.”
During the discussion, Pant walked in from behind and hugged Suryakumar and after the interview ended he was heard saying, “This is unbelievable innings”.
{{/usCountry}}During the discussion, Pant walked in from behind and hugged Suryakumar and after the interview ended he was heard saying, “This is unbelievable innings”.
{{/usCountry}}Suryakumar's knock helped India set a colossal target of 192 in the second T20I.